Hi folks,
I'm repairing my first mid-1920s Parker Duofold, and would greatly appreciate some advice. As luck would have it, it's a Mandarin Yellow, whose exterior is in nice shape except for two hairline cracks at the cap lip. The nib, marked Duofold B, is super and is a great smooth writer.
I've disassembled the pen and cleaned the pieces. When I unscrewed the section and withdrew it from the barrel, it was attached to a dried, twisted sac. Oddly, there was no pressure bar in the barrel, nor any remnants of a corroded one.
I've removed the old sac from the section and cleaned the section nipple.
The filler button seems to work OK, although it's a bit corroded. I scraped off the green corrosion residue, and now the button seems to travel up an down smoothly.
So, my questions:
1. Will the Tryphon junior-sized pressure bar fit without adjustments?
2. How do I install the pressure bar?
3. Do I need to remove the filler button for any reason? I noticed that Tryphon sells replacement brass buttons, whose shininess appeals to me. How would I remove the existing button and replace it with a new one?
4. Which number sac is recommended for a Duofold Junior?
5. What does the little "B" on the nib indicate?
Thanks very much,
Richard
Full Version: How to replace Duofold Jr. pressure bar?
Hi Richard,
I will attempt to answer your questions in order. I suspect you will get several responses as this is fairly straightforward repair.
1. I have not used Tryphon's Jr. Size bars, but would trust their sizing. The only adjustment you might want to make is to make sure the end of the bar that sits on the section is smooth (you can smooth it with some smoothing sand paper).
2 To install the new pressure bar, you will need to remove the button. To do this ---- pull it out. You may need to use some force, but most come out with not too much force. After the sac has been seated and cemented to the nib/ feed / section with sac cement. you will want to thread it back into the barrel. You may want to put a bit of pure talc on the sac to prevent it from sticking to the inside of the barrel and to allow the pressure bar to glide by it.
After the section has been threaded back into the barrel you want to insert the pressure bar in through the top of the barrel through the hole where the button was. Make sure the bar is inserted so that when it is depressed it bends inward towards the sac. Insert the bar all the way in until it meets with the section (it will resist going further and the top will sit outside the barrel hole a little bit. .
3. This was answered in 2 above. Yes, you need to remove the button in order to insert the new or reconditioned bar. You can usually polish these with various metal cleaners.
4. I believe it is a 16. To check if your sac is the correct size, it should fit in the barrel with a bit of room on the sides to spare. Remember, the bar needs to fit next to it and there should be a little extra room as well. Sacs that are too large cause problems.
5. The B on the nib signifies nothing. I think that I have read that Parker used these as identifiers of when or where a nib was made for quality control, but it doesn't necessarily mean a specific manufacturing location or size.
This, I hope, helps gets you started.
I will attempt to answer your questions in order. I suspect you will get several responses as this is fairly straightforward repair.
1. I have not used Tryphon's Jr. Size bars, but would trust their sizing. The only adjustment you might want to make is to make sure the end of the bar that sits on the section is smooth (you can smooth it with some smoothing sand paper).
2 To install the new pressure bar, you will need to remove the button. To do this ---- pull it out. You may need to use some force, but most come out with not too much force. After the sac has been seated and cemented to the nib/ feed / section with sac cement. you will want to thread it back into the barrel. You may want to put a bit of pure talc on the sac to prevent it from sticking to the inside of the barrel and to allow the pressure bar to glide by it.
After the section has been threaded back into the barrel you want to insert the pressure bar in through the top of the barrel through the hole where the button was. Make sure the bar is inserted so that when it is depressed it bends inward towards the sac. Insert the bar all the way in until it meets with the section (it will resist going further and the top will sit outside the barrel hole a little bit. .
3. This was answered in 2 above. Yes, you need to remove the button in order to insert the new or reconditioned bar. You can usually polish these with various metal cleaners.
4. I believe it is a 16. To check if your sac is the correct size, it should fit in the barrel with a bit of room on the sides to spare. Remember, the bar needs to fit next to it and there should be a little extra room as well. Sacs that are too large cause problems.
5. The B on the nib signifies nothing. I think that I have read that Parker used these as identifiers of when or where a nib was made for quality control, but it doesn't necessarily mean a specific manufacturing location or size.
This, I hope, helps gets you started.
QUOTE (philm @ Aug 9 2008, 02:59 PM) 
Hi Richard,
I will attempt to answer your questions in order. I suspect you will get several responses as this is fairly straightforward repair.
1. I have not used Tryphon's Jr. Size bars, but would trust their sizing. The only adjustment you might want to make is to make sure the end of the bar that sits on the section is smooth (you can smooth it with some smoothing sand paper).
2 To install the new pressure bar, you will need to remove the button. To do this ---- pull it out. You may need to use some force, but most come out with not too much force. After the sac has been seated and cemented to the nib/ feed / section with sac cement. you will want to thread it back into the barrel. You may want to put a bit of pure talc on the sac to prevent it from sticking to the inside of the barrel and to allow the pressure bar to glide by it.
After the section has been threaded back into the barrel you want to insert the pressure bar in through the top of the barrel through the hole where the button was. Make sure the bar is inserted so that when it is depressed it bends inward towards the sac. Insert the bar all the way in until it meets with the section (it will resist going further and the top will sit outside the barrel hole a little bit. .
3. This was answered in 2 above. Yes, you need to remove the button in order to insert the new or reconditioned bar. You can usually polish these with various metal cleaners.
4. I believe it is a 16. To check if your sac is the correct size, it should fit in the barrel with a bit of room on the sides to spare. Remember, the bar needs to fit next to it and there should be a little extra room as well. Sacs that are too large cause problems.
5. The B on the nib signifies nothing. I think that I have read that Parker used these as identifiers of when or where a nib was made for quality control, but it doesn't necessarily mean a specific manufacturing location or size.
This, I hope, helps gets you started.
I will attempt to answer your questions in order. I suspect you will get several responses as this is fairly straightforward repair.
1. I have not used Tryphon's Jr. Size bars, but would trust their sizing. The only adjustment you might want to make is to make sure the end of the bar that sits on the section is smooth (you can smooth it with some smoothing sand paper).
2 To install the new pressure bar, you will need to remove the button. To do this ---- pull it out. You may need to use some force, but most come out with not too much force. After the sac has been seated and cemented to the nib/ feed / section with sac cement. you will want to thread it back into the barrel. You may want to put a bit of pure talc on the sac to prevent it from sticking to the inside of the barrel and to allow the pressure bar to glide by it.
After the section has been threaded back into the barrel you want to insert the pressure bar in through the top of the barrel through the hole where the button was. Make sure the bar is inserted so that when it is depressed it bends inward towards the sac. Insert the bar all the way in until it meets with the section (it will resist going further and the top will sit outside the barrel hole a little bit. .
3. This was answered in 2 above. Yes, you need to remove the button in order to insert the new or reconditioned bar. You can usually polish these with various metal cleaners.
4. I believe it is a 16. To check if your sac is the correct size, it should fit in the barrel with a bit of room on the sides to spare. Remember, the bar needs to fit next to it and there should be a little extra room as well. Sacs that are too large cause problems.
5. The B on the nib signifies nothing. I think that I have read that Parker used these as identifiers of when or where a nib was made for quality control, but it doesn't necessarily mean a specific manufacturing location or size.
This, I hope, helps gets you started.
Excellent advice. Thanks!
Am I right in thinking that the threaded nubbin that houses the button does not need to be removed? I was wondering if I needed to remove it as if in a Vacumatic repair.
I'll place an order with Tryphon for the pressure bar.
Richard
If I understand you question correctly, yes - do not alter the threaded part at the top of the barrel. It is there purely to hold the black end cap which covers the button. It is part of the barrel.
One more point -- you are lucky to have a Mandarin Yellow Jr. The cap lip cracks are, unfortunately, common with these. Aaron Svabik of Pentiques.com fixes these cracks. You might consider having him do this for your cap. Check his website for prices etc.. it would be worth it for a mandarin jr. I think.
One more point -- you are lucky to have a Mandarin Yellow Jr. The cap lip cracks are, unfortunately, common with these. Aaron Svabik of Pentiques.com fixes these cracks. You might consider having him do this for your cap. Check his website for prices etc.. it would be worth it for a mandarin jr. I think.
I'm sure you've also figured out that the Mandarin plastic is quite fragile and any force needs to be applied with caution. The button should have a slit that can be compressed with needle nosed pliers to aid in removing it.
Good luck with a great pen.
Good luck with a great pen.
QUOTE (Kelly G @ Aug 9 2008, 05:20 PM)
I'm sure you've also figured out that the Mandarin plastic is quite fragile and any force needs to be applied with caution. The button should have a slit that can be compressed with needle nosed pliers to aid in removing it.
Good luck with a great pen.
Good luck with a great pen.
Thanks for that tip about the needle nose pliers. I've long needed an excuse to pick up a pair.
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